SO MANY PEOPLE ARE ASKING ABOUT THE "POLKAS IN THE PARK" THIS YEAR. SAD TO SAY WE HAD OUR LAST "POLKAS IN THE PARK" MUSIC FESTIVAL IN JULY 2012. AFTER A TEN YEAR RUN, THE COMMITTEE FELT IT WAS TOO DIFFICULT TO CONTINUE. LOTS OF WORK WENT INTO ORGANIZING THE EVENT. THE PLANNING STARTED RIGHT AFTER THE FINISH OF ONE FESTIVAL AND CONTINUED FOR THE WHOLE YEAR UP TO THE NEXT FESTIVAL. WE HAD A LOT OF FUN, MADE A LOT OF PEOPLE HAPPY, AND ENJOYED OURSELVES IN THE PROCESS. FUNDING FROM THE MUNICIPALITY OF CHATHAM-KENT MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO KEEP THE ADMISSION PRICE LOW, AND DONATIONS OF THEIR TIME AND TALENT TO THE FESTIVAL BY ALL OF THE MUSICIANS ENSURED THAT WE HAD A WONDERFUL MUSICAL SHOW FOR DANCING AND LISTENING. WE CANNOT THANK THEM ENOUGH!

On July 22, 2012, we celebrated another year (our tenth annual) for Polkas in the Park and it was a great success. The weather was sunny and beautiful with no rain (although the musicians found it a little warm on the bandshell until the shade came around). It was a wonderful day and a great ending to our ten-year run, as it was our last Polkas in the Park. We were fortunate to have a great lineup of featured bands and players: the Button Box Buddies & Play Mates which included Charlie and myself, Andy Miinch, Dennis Uhlik, Ken Dowling, Mike Masten, Terry Vanderiviere, and Derek Uhlik; Mike Mahler & the Blue Waves, Frank Svet from Dayton OH, George Gojtan & Croation Friends, Eddie Adamic leading the Slovene American Club members and others in a button box jam session, a piano accordion jam session with great accordionists like Frank Svet, Eddie Adamic, Ken Dowling, Frank Sajn, Dennis Uhlik, Frank Stancic, Russ Krill, Ron Bolohan, Herb Schroeder, Louis Rote, Chuck Rote, and others; and coming all the way from Fairport Harbor OH were three members of the award-winning accordion & button box club, the Fairport Jammers - Tom Borris, Jim Savastano, and Frank Sajn. Terry Vanderiviere from Chatham provided the drums and the back-up for many of the groups as did Sandy (Blue Waves) and Syl (SAC Club); Mike Masten, tuba player extraordinaire sat in on most sets; and Derek and Dennis Uhlik both provided some keyboard backup. Sue and Dravko Augustin, members of the Niagara Button Boxers came all the way from Oakville and assisted with the Croation music, the jamming and singing. It was a fun-filled day thanks to the talent and skill provided by these people. We told the crowd that if they liked the music that day, hug a musician! One accordionist who was on the program but could not make it was Andy Nester from Michigan who was in a serious automobile accident just prior to the event. Luckily he is now recuperating from his injuries but it would have been so nice to have him play for us. We are hoping he gets well real soon.This music festival depended upon the hard work of many people: Charlie Tomecek, Chairman of the committee worked on all aspects from the organizing and paperwork end, booking the tent, the floor, the bathrooms, arranging for the fencing setup and teardown, and the myriad little things that were required; Darlene and Russ Krill have been the volunteer coordinators for the duration of the festival and ensured we had enough people on hand to assist with various tasks; and Rose Holek has been the treasurer for all these years, collecting the money, doing the banking, and paying the bills - a very detailed job; and me, Mary Lou Downs - I guess my title is "secretary". I was involved in the organizing, publicity and advertising, computer work, paper work - and assisting my husband Charlie Tomecek with his many jobs. I was a jack-of-all-trades and filled in anywhere there was a need.And we have to thank the many volunteers who showed up to help put up and take down the fencing, the tables & chairs, the signs, and who sat at the admission gates throughout the day. Many of these people have helped us for all of the ten years we have been putting this polka festival on. Your help was very much appreciated. This was the "GRAND FINALE" of our Polkas in the Park. It was very emotional to know that this would be the last, but the committee is finding it harder to do all the work involved due to age and illness, so the decision was made to call it quits. We decided to go out while we were still "on top" and thanks to everyone involved in putting the event on we have been a success each and every year.So if you have attended our function in the past we thank you for your support. If you were one of the many volunteers who assisted we appreciate your time and work.If you were one of the financial sponsors, we could not have organized such a successful event without your contribution.And if you are one of the musicians who donated your time and your talent, we will be forever in your debt.We have a saying: "When one door closes, another one opens." Who knows what we will do next? If you like to go to polka parties, you can always come on one of our bus trips. We might be senior citizens, but we have more fun than teenagers!